


No Matter Where You Are

by nilshki



Series: No matter where you are, I'll be there. [1]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-30
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:47:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22038775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nilshki/pseuds/nilshki
Summary: Prompt: Everybody has three soulmarks: one you’re born with that represent your family soulmate, one you gain at age 10 that represent your friendship soulmate and one you gain at age 20 that represent your romantic soulmate. Sometimes, the same person can be two soulmates to the same person in which case the earliest mark just expand dramatically. That is the case for Edmundo Diaz who has two soulmates only: one family and one friendship/romantic. When Shannon gives birth to Chris, he’s disappointed to not share his boy's soulmark, but that all change when years later they meet Evan ‘’Buck’’ Buckley who Eddie quickly notice share the same mark as his son.
Relationships: Eddie Diaz/Shannon Diaz, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Helena Diaz/Ramon Diaz
Series: No matter where you are, I'll be there. [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1587166
Comments: 35
Kudos: 467
Collections: Buck and Eddie are Soulmates





	No Matter Where You Are

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Whis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whis/gifts).



> Prompt is from [Prompt A Buddie](https://promptabuddie.tumblr.com/post/189959890579/everybody-has-three-soulmarks-one-youre-born) on Tumblr and requested for someone to write in the I'm Your Buddie Discord server by [peroquenotevean](https://peroquenotevean.tumblr.com/). It was fun to write, so thanks for the prompt and the request!  
> Beta read by the ever wonderful [kaitlia777](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaitlia777/pseuds/kaitlia777) \- thank you!!  
> Title is "No Matter Where You Are" by Us The Duo  
> Hope you guys enjoy it!

Eddie was five when he realized everyone in his family had the same birthmark on their left arm, level with their heart. It was a small geometric design. 

He asked his mother about it one day. 

“That’s your family soulmark, baby. It shows you’re meant to be a part of this family.”

“But…” he started. “I was born into the family, of course I’m a part of it, right?”

She gathered him onto her lap. “Parents and children, and even siblings, don’t always have the same mark, baby. It doesn’t mean they aren’t part of that family. It just means there’s another person, or other people, who are meant to join their family. Sometimes it’s people you would never expect. That’s why the mark is so wonderful.”

Eddie thought for a minute, and his mother was silent, letting him. “Is that why Elias and his mom have the same shape on their wrists even though he’s adopted?”

She nodded. “I don’t have the same family mark as my mom or dad. I love them very much, and they are still my family. But I was meant to find your Papá and his big Diaz family, and I was meant to become part of it. That’s why your Papá and I have  _ two _ matching marks.” Eddie looked at her in surprise.

“You do?”

She smiled. “Yes. We both have the Diaz mark, because we are both meant to be in the family. Like you and your sisters. And we also have one that showed us we were meant to be together, to fall in love, to make a life with each other.”

“Which one is that, Mommy?”

“That’s the flower on our ankles. It’s a chrysanthemum. They were blooming in my garden the first day I met your Papá.” She smiled, remembering. “One day, Eddie, my sweet boy, you're going to get more marks. Those will show you two things. Who your best friend is. And who the love of your life is. They could be two people, or the same person. There could be more than one person with the same mark. But your marks will match.”

“Why, Mommy?”

She grinned. 

“Because we’re lucky. And fate gives us a chance to find the people who will bring the most love into our lives.”

**

Eddie was ten when he got his next mark. It was a small, simple compass. A little four pointed star with symbols for north, south, east, and west. It was on his right hip. He figured that was a bit of a weird place. He didn’t know how he was supposed to find his friendship soulmate that way - how many times did he see other people’s hips?

When he was a little older, around fifteen, he remembered that it could also turn into a romantic relationship. He started wearing all of his pants really low on his hips, which had a dual purpose. One was because all of the girls seemed to like it. The other was because he wanted people to see his mark. If someone else had the same one, maybe they would notice. 

He met Shannon when they were nineteen. 

She had the same mark on her hip.

**

When Eddie was twenty, the mark on his hip bloomed. That was really the only word for it. Petals appeared between each of the points of the star, blossoming out to cover just a little more of his hip. He took a botany book out of the library and tried to find a picture that looked like his mark. He finally found it; a bright, orange-gold flower called the California poppy. It was a gorgeous flower, but it didn’t mean anything to Eddie. 

Shannon’s mark didn’t change. She said it didn’t bother her. Eddie said it didn’t bother him. Screw fate - he loved her, she loved him. “Let’s get married.”

**

When Eddie was twenty-four, he was in Afghanistan. His wife was at home. Pregnant. Alone. 

He consoled himself that his family was with her. Sure, her family was far away. But his mother would help her. His father, his sisters. They were all there. 

_ They aren’t  _ her _ family though. _

He got a call one night, from Shannon. She was crying. His heart stopped. 

“It’s a boy, Eddie. We have a son.” Tears started streaming down his own face. “Shannon, thats...that’s amazing. I love you. I love you so much.” Her sobs grew louder. 

“Eddie...Eddie there were c-com...complications,” she managed. His heart sunk again. 

“What do you mean? Shannon, what happened?” he demanded when she didn’t answer. 

“He has cerebral palsy, Eddie. It’s my fault, it’s all my fault…”

“Shhh, baby, no...no it’s okay, it’s not your fault.” He tried to comfort her, despite the miles between them.  _ Was it her fault? How does CP work? _ He immediately felt guilty for the thought, and went back to reassuring her. He’d be home soon, they would deal with it, together. Everything would be okay. 

When he got home, he fell in love all over again. His son was absolutely perfect. But he was hard to care for. There were lots of long nights, many doctor’s appointments, all kinds of therapy. It was exhausting.

And Christopher didn’t have the Diaz mark. He had a little fish, on the top of his right shoulder, just before his arm curved down. Eddie wasn’t sure how he felt about that. It didn’t match Shannon’s family mark either. Who else was Christopher supposed to find?

He stayed home for a year. He reenlisted for another eighteen month tour right after Christopher’s birthday. He didn’t come home until Chris was two and a half. 

Shannon never really forgave him for that. 

**

When Eddie was thirty one, he moved to Los Angeles. He told his parents it was because he and Christopher needed a fresh start. No, it had nothing to do with Shannon living just outside of LA, taking care of her mom. 

He met the 118, and he met Buck. He liked the guy immediately, even if it seemed the feeling wasn’t returned. He didn’t quite expect that level of attraction, considering he’d never  _ really  _ been into any specific guy before. He hid it, because Buck was his coworker. 

Buck soon became his best friend. He joined Christopher’s life as well, helping Eddie take care of Chris, getting him the best help and making him feel like a normal kid. He could love Buck just for that. 

The first time Eddie saw Buck without a shirt, he gasped. And not just because it was hot. Which, it was. But he saw something he hadn’t noticed before, even when Buck was wearing a tank. 

A fish. A little fish, on his right shoulder. Right before his arm curved down. 

He didn’t know what to do. This person, this friend of his, someone he had really only met a little while ago? Buck was supposed to be Christopher’s family? Did he tell Buck? Did he tell Christopher? He spent weeks questioning himself.

And then he needed Shannon’s help, to get Christopher into school. And remembered how much he loved her, how much he wanted their family to be whole again. And put Buck’s family mark out of his head. 

**

When Eddie was thirty-three, he said screw it. He grabbed Buck by the collar of his shirt one day, when Buck had run into a building that was on the verge of collapse, to save a little girl around Christopher’s age. 

“You can’t DO that man! What if something had happened to you?” he yelled in Buck’s face. 

“Eddie, Eddie, relax. I’m okay, and I saved her! It’s okay.”

“It’s not okay, Buck!”

And he pulled Buck to him in a fierce kiss. Buck returned it enthusiastically, and Eddie’s heart soared. 

“Boys, break it up. Not a work,” Bobby’s voice broke their kiss. Eddie smiled up at Buck. 

“Chris is at a sleepover tonight. Come over?” He whispered. Buck swallowed, and nodded. 

That was the night Eddie found Buck’s other soulmark. A small star pointing in the four cardinal directions, California poppy petals reaching from between the points. On his right hip.

“I just realized,” Eddie said later that night, as they lay in bed, wrapped around each other. “The poppies were blooming the day I met you.”


End file.
